Start a work environment group
- Read about the role and modes of working of the work environment group.
- The head of department/equivalent appoints the representatives to the group, consisting of the employer and employees, of which at least one is a safety representative.
- Carry out a start-up meeting providing information about what systematic work environment management is and the task of the group. Feel free to use the University’s online course/s about systematic work environment management, organisational and social work environment and risk assessment prior to changes (only in swedish). There is a PowerPoint presentation about systematic work environment management available for use. There are also digital courses and presentations produced by other providers, for example the Swedish Work Environment Authority and the Social Partners’ Council (only in swedish) available for use if so desired.
- Hold one, or, if necessary, several meetings at which the work environment group decides how to tackle systematic work environment management based on the group's task and how you can ensure it becomes a natural part of activities. This may take some time, but will make future work run more smoothly. Decide how often the group should convene, what agenda the group should have when it convenes, how the group is to work on a plan for systematic work environment management (both in terms of documentation and practical management) and how information to the group's members and other information are made available to all employees at the department/equivalent . It is important to remember that the head of department/equivalent is responsible for the tasks being implemented in accordance with the Vice-Chancellor’s decision concerning the allocation of tasks in systematic work environment management unless they have delegated that responsibility.
- Draw up a plan for systematic work environment management:
- Investigation: What should we investigate, and what are the risk areas that we need to investigate further? What activity should we carry out to investigate that area? You could use the annual cycle template, for example, and fill in activities to investigate along with aspects that need ongoing investigation. Investigations carried out while they are current cannot be planned and are therefore added as ‘ongoing’/’where necessary’ in the centre of the annual cycle. If investigation activities are being carried out on an ongoing basis, these too can be documented in the centre. State how often they are implemented.
- Risk assessment: Use the template for risk assessment with action plan for work environment management with risk assessment levels of low, moderate and high, or the risk assessment risk matrix . Consider/discuss which work environment risks can be identified and which have already been previously identified, before documenting them in the template. Risk-assess identified risks and document the risk assessment, using the template if so desired.
- Measures and monitoring: You can use the same template that you used at the investigation and risk assessment stage. Discuss proposals of measures for the identified risks. The manager in charge decides which measures are to be implemented and these can be documented in the same template as used above. Be clear about why the proposed measures may not be able to be implemented; this does not have to be documented. Appoint a person responsible for each measure, stating when it should be implemented and when it needs to have been followed up on. Document this, for example using the same template as used above. See whether any of the measures are an activity you want to plan and potentially document in the annual cycle, for example educational/information drive.
Your plan is now ready for systematic work environment management, and you have started up your work environment group!